Writing pen



Allg 27, l940- L. H. AsHMoRE 2,213,033

WRITING PEN v Filed Feb. 20, 1940 hasta Aug. 21, 1940 'UNITED STATES PATENT oF-Fic-El. 'l

Y WRITING PEN Leon 11. more, clligswood, 11. J. l

v.application February zo, 1940, serial No. 319,814 l s claims. (o1. 12o-101) connection with a kfountain pen, will permit the i This invention 'relates to writing pens and it relates more particularly to improved means for replaceably holding av Writing pen point or nib in a suitable holder, such for example, as the nipple of a fountain pen; although it should be understood that the invention is equally applicable to ordinary dip pen holders, as well as'to that type of pen in which .a sufficient quantity of ink is taken up, with each dip of the pen, to last for a considerable period of time.

Heretofore it has been proposed to provide fountain pens with renewable pen point units, which could be inexpensively made, and `which permitted replacing worn and damaged pen points of fountain pens. The use of renewable pen point units also permits a variety ofl styles of pen points to be interchangeably mounted in the pen barrels, according to the desire of the user.

However, these replaceable pen point units have not proved entirely satisfactory in use and are more expensive than need be for the reason that, when it becomes desirable to replace a pen point, it is necessary to discard not only the pen point, but also the other parts of the unit which are irremovably attached thereto.

' Also, in the use of ordinary steel pen points, as well as the stainless steel pen points such as are commonly used in the replaceable units above referred to, steel of the proper metal thickness is often not sufficiently flexible for proper writing purposes, hence, in order to i secure the requisite exbility, recourse was had to the use of thinner metal, resulting in the production of a less durable pen point and requiring more frequent replacement than was desirable.

The principal object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a pen point mounting, particularly adaptable for usel in fountain pens or other pen holders, by means of which the pen points may be readily and conveniently removed and replaced in the holder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pen point mounting, of the character aforesaid, which may be inexpensively constructed, but which will be sufficiently durable for its intended purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pen point mounting, of the character aforesaid, in which greater exibility of the pen point is obtainable during the writing operation, without vunduly reducing the thickness of the metal from which the pen point is made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pen point mounting which. when used in pen point to be easily replaceable by another, and this without interfering with the proper iow of the ink to the pen and with the admission of the venting air to the interior of the ink container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pen point mounting which, when used in connection with a fountain pen, will permit the pen point to be .readily removable for the purpose of cleaning accumulations of dried ink in the feed passages, whereby the fountain pen may be kept at all times in proper writing condition.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood vfrom the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the lower portion of a fountain pen, having pen point holding means mounted therein embodying the main features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the Section being taken transversely to-that of Fig. 1, and lcertain parts beingtherein shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the novel elements of the present invention;` and Fig. 5 is a. similar perspective view of a spring member employed in the device.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and vdrawing are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed'without departingl from the spirit of the invention, and particularly that the invention is adaptable not only to fountain pens as shown in the drawing, but also to various other types of pen holders in which removable and replaceable pen points are employed.

Referring tothe drawing, the invention is there shown as applied to a familiar. type of fountain pen provided with a pen point which is easily and conveniently removable for the purpose of replacement by a similar pen point when the original one becomes worn or damaged, or when it is desired to substitute therefor a pen point of a different style.

. In the structure shown in the drawing, Ill is the barrel of the fountain pen providing an internal chamber I I within which the ink is contained. At the lower end of the barrel is mounted a nipple I2 which is held in place by frictional engagement with the lower interior end of the barrel dil by a tight t. If desired, the nipple I2 may be threaded in the lower end of the barrel I0, although this is not ordinarily done in fountain pens of the self-lling type.

If desired, the inner upper end of the nipple I2 may be reduced In diameter as at I3, for the mounting, on said reduced portion, of the rubber sack I4, which is commonly employed in self-filling fountain pens. The nipple is also provided with longitudinal ports or passageways 21 for the purpose of feeding the ink to the feed member, and to admit the venting air to-the ink container.

The foregoing'arrangement, however, forms no part of the present invention as the internal construction of the fountain pen may be varied and, in fact, as herein pointed out, the present invention is equally applicable to other types of pen holders.

The lower end of the nipple I2 is provided with a central bore I5 extending longitudinally, but only part way into the nipple member I2, for the reception of the pen point I6, and the members hereinafter described which are employed for holding the pen point Iii therein, and for feeding the ink thereto.

The feed member il has a shank portion I8, of cylindrical form, the diameter of which is less than that of the bore I5 in the lower end of the nipple i2, and the feed member il' also has an extension I9 suitably shaped and extending along the inner surface of the pen point IG. A feed groove 20 of the usual conformation extends from end to end of the feed member il along the medial line of the pen point IG for the purpose of carrying the ink to the pen point I6 and delivering the same adjacent the writing tip thereof.

Partly surrounding the shank I8 of the feed member I'I is a bushing 2i having a longitudinal slot 22 of a width corresponding to that of the shank 23 of the pen point I6, and preferably extending the full length of the bushing 2i.

'Ihe relative diameters of the shank I8 of the feed member, the bushing 2i, and the bore I5 in the lower end of the nipple I2, are such that when the feed member and the bushing are assembled in the nipple I2, a relatively tight t is provided whereby the feed member Il and the bushing 2i will be held lxedly in the lower end of the nipple I2, yet the same may be removed by the application of sufficient force, should it be necessary to do so for the purpose of repair.

If desired the feed member I'I and the bushing member 2i may be made of a single integral piece, although it is preferable to make the same of two parts as above described.

The bushing 2I also has two circumferential grooves 24 in each of which is mounted an arcuate spring 25 shown in detached perspective in Fig. 5 of the drawing. Each of said springs 25 is provided with two inwardly extending spaced projections 26 which, when the pen point I6 is mounted in place, bear against the shank 23 of the pen point, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Each of the springs 25 is of a width substantially equal to that of the groove 24 in which it is mounted, thereby preventing longitudinal movement of said springs when the pen point I6 is inserted or removed.

'Ihe free ends of each spring 25 bear against the bottom surface of the groove 24 in which it is mounted at points opposite the bearing of the projections 26 on the shank 23 of the pen point I6. The thickness of each spring 25 is less than the depth of the groove 24 in which it is mounted, thereby permitting relative movement of the pen with respect to the holder proper, and affording the proper degree of flexibility in the writing operation notwithstanding the y, pen pointmay be made oi' material sufficiently thick as to render the pen point I6 substantially rigid. The pen point I6 and the springs 25 lare preferably made of the same material, or

at least material having the same electrolytic reaction with the ink, whereby corrosion of these metal parts will be reduced to a minimum.

I claim:

l. In a writing pen having a removable and replaceable pen point, a nipple having an internal bore, a member mounted in said bore having a longitudinal slot in which the shank of the pen point is inserted and also having a circumferential groove and an arcuate spring mounted in said groove having portions bearing against the shank of the pen point.

2. In a writing pen having a removable and replaceable pen point, a nipple having an internal bore, a member mounted in said bore having a longitudinal slot in which the shank of the pen point is inserted and also having a plurality of circumferential grooves, and arcuate springs mounted in said grooves having portions bearing against the shank of the pen point, said springs serving to hold said pen point in the nipple.

3. In a writing pen having a removable and replaceable pen point, a nipple having an internal bore, a member mounted in said bore having a longitudinal slot in which the shank of the pen point is inserted and also having a plurality of circumferential grooves, and arcuate springs mounted in said grooves having spaced projections bearing against the shank of the pen point, said springs serving to hold said pen point in the nipple yet permitting relative movement of said pen point with respect to the nipple in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the structure.

4. In a writing pen having a removable and replaceable pen point, a nipple having an internal bore, a cylindrical member within said bore, a bushing interposed between said cylindrical member and the internal surface of said bore, said bushing having a longitudinal slot in which the shank of the pen point is inserted and also having a plurality of circumferential grooves, and arcuate springs mounted in said grooves having portions bearing against the shank of the pen point, said springs serving to hold said pen point in the nipple.

5. In a writing pen having a removable and replaceable pen point, a nipple having an internal bore, a cylindrical member within said bore, a bushing interposed between said cylindrical member and the internal surface of said bore, saidl bushing having a longitudinal slot in which the shank of the pen point is inserted and also having a plurality of circumferential grooves, and arcuate springs mounted in said grooves having portions bearing against the shank of the pen point, said springs serving to hold said pen point in the nipple yet permitting relative movement of said pen point with respect to the nipple in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the structure.

6. In a writing pen having a removable and replaceable pen point, a nipple having an internal bore, a cylindrical member within said bore, a bushing interposed between said cylindrical member and the internal surface of said bore,

hold said pen point in the nipple yet permitting relative movement of said pen point with respect to the nipple in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the structure.

LEON H. AsHMoRE. 

